Indian police arrest 70 for targeting Americans in tax scam

Indian police arrest 70 for targeting Americans in tax scam | iNFOnews.ca
A police official, right, escorts two men outside the court in Thane, outskirts of Mumbai, India, Thursday, Oct. 6, 2016. Indian police have arrested 70 people and are questioning hundreds more after uncovering a massive scam to cheat thousands of Americans out of millions of dollars by posing as U.S. tax authorities and demanding unpaid taxes. (AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)

NEW DELHI – Indian police have arrested 70 people and are questioning hundreds more after uncovering a massive scam to cheat thousands of Americans out of millions of dollars by posing as U.S. tax authorities and demanding unpaid taxes.

According to police in Mumbai, the yearlong scam involved running fake call centres which sent voice mail messages telling U.S. nationals to call back because they owed back taxes.

Those who called back and believed the threats would fork out thousands of dollars to “settle” their case, Mumbai police officer Parag Marere said Thursday.

The scam brought in more than $150,000 a day, Marere said without giving a total sum. If the scam netted that amount daily, it would have made almost $55 million.

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